Archives

Fort Worth

02/05/2014

FORT WORTH, Texas - National Signing Day came and went, and every college program in the nation not only got a little bit better, but filled needs with talented kids who want to graduate, and "won" the day. With for-pay websites that put stars next to a kid's name that is nothing more than a guess, college recruiting has become a cottage industry greater than the NFL draft.

Assessing a recruiting class takes about three to four years.

Former Dallas Cowboys coach Bill Parcells said he thought player acquisition was a 50/50 proposition. I asked TCU head coach Gary Patterson what he thought a recruiting class needs to be in order to be called "successful."

Patterson said to have a team like he did that won the Rose Bowl a few years ago, "you have to bat 75 percent" in recruiting.

Aiding his chances at batting for a higher average is that in the past six years TCU has morphed from a regional into a national name. The football team is actually reflective of a student body that now includes a general population from Arizona, Illinois, Ohio, California, etc.

The class TCU announced on Wednesday features 22 names, seven outside of Texas. That is the most Gary has ever had outside of Texas since he took over. Included in that is linebacker Vinny Ascolese, who is from North Bergen, New Jersey. He is also a Parade All-American. TCU has its first Jersey Boy.

Gary's main focus is Texas, but now he has the ability to go outside if he can't find what he needs close to home.

"Not trying to go out of state," he said. "In recruiting, it's about what you are trying to get to that you will feel like you can win at a very high level. We are all going to miss some. We are going to make mistakes. Everybody in the state except A&M on Johnny Manziel. Nobody recruited Andy Dalton. There are a lot of kids. I've always said, 'The day after signing day, you could sign another 20.'

That is both sad and scary, but this is where the story turns a bit odd - after the police arrived at his home, Fields "changed his mind" and said "he did not want officers/detectives searching his premises, and that he did not want to press charges.”

Because that does not look weird.

According to reports, three people attacked Fields, pointed a gun at him, punched him, etc.

That Fields did not want to press charges is his right, but it does look odd and certainly does nothing but support suspicion that the 20-year-old defensive end knew his attackers, or had some things in his home he would rather not have made public to the cops. Again, that is his business.

Fields does not have a talent issue, but there continue to be concerns that he is surrounded by some people who maybe do not have his best interests at heart. People around the program insist this is a good kid, but there are maturity issues. There is a reason these things are happening.

TCU coach Gary Patterson has defended his all-conference player, but he clearly is trying to discipline the kid at the same time.

When I asked GP about Fields' return in late December, he said: "I don't know. He went from the highest point to the lowest, and now he has to build it back up and deciding what he wants to be. What he wants to be off the field. He's a good kid."

Reading between the lines, there remains an issue. Ultimately, it's going to be on Devonte Fields.

If you recall, head coach Gary Patterson was livid when Fabuluje left the team to transfer back to BYU last fall. It made an offensive line that was short on talent and experience thinner. There was plenty of name-calling at Fabuluje, who in August of 2013 told the Desert News, "just got admitted (Wednesday). I'm coming back to BYU!"

The thought was he did not like football, and was only using both TCU and BYU for free school.

2010: BYU redshirt. Did not play. 2011: TCU transfer season. Did not play.2012: Started 12 games at TCU.2013: Transferred to BYU. Enrolled. Did not play.2014: Back to TCU.

By the looks of it, had all credit hours transferred back and forth, he may have been able to earn his degree by now.

Fabuluje is not a bad kid. This is not a criminal. What is not good is his personal situation. Sad and difficult are good places to start.

As evidenced by the second-chance Patterson extended quarterback Casey Pachall, GP likes to help a kid out ... especially when they can help out his team.

Fabuluje reached out to TCU last month, and sources said GP sat on this for a while weighing the pros and cons of the decision, seeking opinions of many of the support staff. Fabuluje wrote letters to the GP, and other members of the TCU administration, apologzing and asking for another shot.

This is a case of need for both. TCU needs Fabuluje's talent. He should start at left tackle immediately, and instantly makes a bad offensive line better.

There is risk involved - does GP think Fabuluje cares? Does he want to play football, or is the game something he merely tolerates? Will he quit, or half-a** it?

Only he knows that, and TCU should find out soon enough. It's a risk worth taking.

01/03/2014

Safe to say the Powers that be (get it? ... that's good stuff, I need to copyright that) did not expect every coach in the United States to extend its middle finger to the University of Texas-Austin, but they are all only too happy to cash in on the leverage for a raise.

Alabama's Nick Saban said he never spoke to the people in Austin about the job, although he failed to mention whether his agent ever did. Saban just used the threat of another job for a raise. Perhaps those distractions explained his team's two-game season-ending losing streak.

Florida State's Jimbo Fisher just signed an extension to remain at FSU.

Fresh off having his fanny kicked in the Fiesta Bowl by Central Florida, Baylor coach Art Briles issued a press release via Baylor that said he will not pursue any other coaching job. Good move. He signed a 10-year extension.

The latest name was Jim Mora Jr. at UCLA. But according to a Tweet from Chris Foster of the LA Times, "No talks, no chance. Mora will see Longhorns: as UCLA coach in Sept. game".

One of the major problems UT may have in luring away a coach from another top program is that all of these places are paying millions of dollars to coach football. There is a quality of life issue. The perception is that UT comes with more hassles - i.e. The Longhorn Network - and political landmines that other gigs.

And Lord knows just because you coach Texas does not a guarantee of a national title.

So ... Charlie Strong, David Shaw and James Franklin, what are you doing these days?

For TCU and Big 12 football junkies, here are some of the other highlights from my extended interview with Horned Frogs head football coach Gary Patterson ...

Has this been your most difficult offseason? No. I've been here before; 2004 - the year befor we beat Oklahoma. The key for me is going back to the way I used to be. The best thing that happened to us (in 2004) was no one paid any attention to us.

Why are new co-offensive coordinators Doug Meacham and Sonny Cumbie good fits for this staff? Both guys are blue collar. They have been an unbelievable fit. They are grinders. They are amazing recruiters. They have meshed really well with the staff. They both bring knowledge of how to throw the football, and attack people vertically. It was something I thought we needed. This was not about the coaches we had. We had good coaches.

Would Trevone Boykin be your starting quarterback? He's the only returning guy so you would have to say that. When Doug Meacham was at Houston, the top two guys were true freshmen and they weren't there in the spring. The guys that are here do have the advantage of being in the system. The quarterback is not my biggest thing.

What is that? We have to get better up front. We have two extra running backs. We have to do a better job of catching the ball. ... You have to look at we were within a touchdown or overtime, even with all that was happening. That was with us not playing well at certain positions. But you are making a mistake if you say, 'We are so close.' No, go back to the beginning and start with the attitude and chemistry and be the strongest team you can be. We are not accepting where we are. I'n not allowing that at all. You can't accept that people are going to push you around.

It's one thing to have a lot of upperclassmen, and another to have good upperclassmen - what do you have? Well, I'm hopefuly for the maturity level. These guys are talking a lot differently than they did their freshman or sophomore year. We have to do a better job as coaches, and do a better job as a group.

A common knock is that this (4-8) season is a sign that TCU was always overrated, and is in over its head; what do you say that? I do think if you had taken our 2008 or '09 team we would have been fine. I'm not going to give anybody a way out. How do we become what we want to become? No one said when they play the TCU Horned Frogs is a pushover game. How many teams that came into the Big 12 didn't win a road game? We have done some good things.And we are going to have 10 games next year in the state of Texas. If our kids are who I think they are, they'll be ready to go. If not, we'll prove people right.

Where is (DE) Devonte Fields on his return? I don't know. He went from the highest point to the lowest, and now he has to build it back up and deciding what he wants to be. What he wants to be off the field. He's a good kid.

What happened to (WR) Brandon Carter? It's another guy who has to grow up. He's a good kid. It's the same thing (as Fields). We are getting fewer and fewer knuckleheads. Pretty soon the team takes care of itself. We are closer than we've been since the Rose Bowl.

01/02/2014

Perhaps it's all of that money, but there is something about Texas Longhorns football that is simply too nice. Maybe it's Austin. Maybe the place is a giant country club. Maybe UT is the college equivalent of Valley Ranch.

If Texas wants to be as good as it believes it's their God-given right, something much greater has to change surrounding that football team. It is 2014, and nice guys don't win. It would be great if they did, but ...

The culture and attitude at UT must change. There is a sense of entitlement; if UT just spends all of its millions, national titles will come. Everyone is spending money. The ones who win national titles spend money, and get nasty.

There is a reason why NFL scouts and assistant coaches knock UT players as soft, or too nice. It's because many of them - not all - are just that. Never met a former UT player who was recruited and played for Mack Brown who was anything other than professional and polite.

Being polite, kind and decent are wonderful traits but good football teams usually require a sprinkling of jerk holes.

Mack Brown "stepping down" confirms what we all know - we don't care about good kids, graduation rates, or good guys when it conflicts with winning the game.

No one cares if the Texas women's volleyball team, soccer team, kick ball team, diving team, chess team, Yahtzee team all win national titles in the same week - just be good in football. And by good we mean reach college football's new Final Four. Seriously, UT has to be in the discussion. To again be in the discussion for the Holiday Bowl, Alamo Bowl or www.AdultFriendFinder.com Bowl is a joke.

There is no excuse for the University of Texas to be anything other than the best team in the state, and consistently a top five program in the nation. You want to win, find a coach and bury him in more money than he has ever seen in his life. Lie through your teeth about the time commitments for the Longhorn Network, and quit missing on so many quarterbacks. While you're at it, start finding some offensive linemen, too. Green light the awful practice of "gray shirting".

If you are going to move Mack Brown upstairs, or tell him to go away, you are saying you are done with the good guy routine. Start stepping on throats. There will be a price to pay later (ask USC), but no one cares about 2016.

12/31/2013

TCU coach Gary Patterson has been silent to us evil media since his team’s season-ending loss against Baylor on Nov. 30. Busy recruiting, re-making his offensive staff, and his team's offensive philosophy. He's already watching tape of Minnesota, and planned to watch the Texas Tech bowl game.

Gary was nice enough to give me a call for a larger column that will run soon in the Star-Telegram shortly; of the many topics covered in the 45-minute conversation were his comments made immediately after the game against Baylor.

It is not normal GP go off - he's done it maybe three times since he took over as head coach at TCU in December of 2000.

He did it once after his team defeated Texas Tech in 2006, basically calling out the flawed BCS system and it resulted in nation wide attention.Gary popped a few days after his team lost against SMU in 2011, which he later admitted error and apologized to Ponies coach June Jones.

He is not seeking a do over in regards to his postgame comments after the Baylor game.

“I’m not talking about that any more,” he said. “People can take it however they want. You say what you say and you move on. Everybody has their own opinion on it. That’s behind us.”

He meant what he said. He ain't apologizing.He's done with it.

Part of the backlash at Patterson was the timing - Baylor coach Art Briles was coaching the game shortly after learning of the death of his brother. Sorry, when Art coached the game he coached the game, which has zero to do with the personal tragedy that his family endured.

Gary's comments were not about Briles' personal life. They were made about a player - safety Ahmad Dixon's behavior. Gary should have been mad at Dixon's actions during that game.

My only knock wasn't that Gary said it, but rather the timing made him sound like a poor sport who would not have made these comments had his team won. His comments trumped what was a great game.

12/30/2013

Lists. Lists. More lists. Lists of lists. Just put numbers next to things that tell us what is better than that, how to lose weight faster, get 6-pack abs in four short hours a day, and who the hottest girls are in the month of August south of the Rockies.

In the spirit of lists, as we approach the end of 2013 - here is a look back at the best games played in the area.

1. Broncos 51, Cowboys 48. Oct. 6 - AT&T StadiumProbably the best regular-season game of the NFL in 2013. Cowboys led 14-0. Broncos led 35-20.Cowboys led 48-41. Tony Romo throws I-N-T late in the game to give Peyton Manning a short field, and the game. Yes, Jerry, it was a great show.

2. Texas Rangers 2, LA Angels 1, July 31, Rangers BallparkThe Rangers defeated the Angels on a walkoff home run for the third consecutive night. This win came when Adrian Beltre won the game on an HR on a 2-2 pitch in the bottom of the ninth inning.Click here to watch the video link from MLB.com.

3. Baylor 41, TCU 38. Nov. 30, Amon G. Carter StadiumTCU head coach Gary Patterson's rant after this game is reserved for another list, but this game was entertaining throughout. TCU's season was over, and in its last game of the year it played right with No. 9 Baylor and arguably should have won. TCU QB Casey Pachall threw three picks, two returned for touchdowns and another that ended the game when the Frogs' were driving to score.

4. Cowboys 24, Redskins 23, Dec. 22 - FedEx FieldDown 24-13 to start the fourth quarter, and playing with a horribly injured back, Tony Romo led the Cowboys on a comeback that ended with a 10-yard pass to DeMarco Murray on 4th-and-goal with 68 seconds remaining to save the season for another week.

5. TCU 62, Kansas 55, Feb. 6 - Daniel-Meyer ColiseumIn TCU's first win in the Big 12, the Horned Frogs' scored one of the biggest upsets in the last 30 years in men's college basketball. It was TCU's first win ever against a Top 5 team - KU was No. 5. It was an ugly game - KU shot 29 percent from the field, and TCU was 22-of-38 on free throws.But the Frogs won, and a packed house stormed the floor after the game to celebrate a milestone win.

6. Mavericks 108, Trail Blazers 106. Dec. 7, 2013 - Moda CenterThe Mavericks didn't make the playoffs in 2013, so finding a game in this calendar year is not easy.Alas, this was a good one. Mavs shooting guard Monta Ellis hit a jumper at the buzzer to win the game.

7. Rutgers 55, SMU 52 (3 ot) Oct. 5, Ford FieldGarrett Gilbert's awesome two-point conversion across his body to the corner of the endzone for a tippy-toe catch to complete a 21-point fourth quarter comeback made this memorable.

8. Texas Rangers 4, Oakland A's 3 - June 20, Rangers BallparkThe end of a fun three-game set featured four lead changes and three ties, a running catch by Nelson Cruz in right field to save a run, and a game-ending throw out at the plate by Craig Gentry to Elvis Andrus to A.J. Pierzynski to nail Josh Donaldson to win the game.

9. Dallas Stars 4, Chicago Blackhawks 3 - December 3, United CenterThe other "winter" pro sports team that did not make the playoffs, so finding a game is not easy. The Stars' win against the defending Stanley Cup champion Blackhawks was especially note worthy because goalie Kari Lehtonen made 47 saves. The Stars took a 3-0 lead before blowing it. The Stars were out-shot 50-18.

10. Michigan 87, Kansas 85 - March 29, Cowboys StadiumThis Sweet 16 game was all KU; the Jayhawks led 68-54 with 6:51 remaining. U of M guard Trey Burke then went off, and hit a long 3-pointer to tie the game with five seconds remaining to force OT.Burke finished with 23 points and 10 assists.

12/18/2013

Now that TCU has remade its offensive staff by hiring a pair of new coaches - Doug Meacham of Houston and Sonny Cumbie of Texas Tech - they still need a quarterback they can agree on.

Do not expect a consensus between Trevone Boykin or Tyler Matthews. TCU will not be enjoying the services of two of the team's "bigger" recruits in the spring.

According to his high school coach, All Saints Episcopal quarterback Foster Sawyer remains firmly committed to sign a letter of intent to play for TCU in 2014. Sawyer, however, will not be enrolling in the spring.

The other "big" TCU QB recruit, Grayson Muehlstein (pictured) of Decatur, also remains firmly committed to TCU for signing day. According to his high school coach, Kyle Story, Muehlstein explored trying to graduate from high school early to enroll at TCU and participate in practice with the team in the spring of '14.

Story said Muehlstein could line up the necessary course work to finish early. Story said this was not an issue of grades, but rather course work completed.

Both Muehlstein and Sawyer are scheduled to be at TCU in the summer for the start of practice, but they will not be learning the offense any earlier.

12/11/2013

With reports flying that University of Texas-Austin head football coach Mack Brown will resign by week's end, there simply is no time to celebrate the man's legacy and impact both on the sport of college football and his university.

The more important item is to determine who will replace Mack as the single-highest paid state employee in the great state a Texas. Chip Brown of Orangebloods.com said he has been told by a Texas source the school wants to hire a proven name that has won a national title, or Super Bowl. Those parameters change the field dramatically.

Here are a few possibilities ...

Nick Saban, AlabamaWhy he would: He has restored "greatness" to LSU and Alabama and not only would his bank account break under the weight of a new deal, the chance to put Texas back to the very tippy-top of the college football pyramid would secure his legacy as the greatest college coach of this era.He would leave a situation and absurd expectations that he created to walk into a new home that is dying to sniff some of the success he had at Alabama. It would eventually become a feed-the-beast monster much like he has at Alabama, but in the short-term he would be new and most-appreciated.

Why he wouldn't: He has enough money, and he doesn't want to leave a college program for another college program. The NFL, however ...

David Shaw, StanfordWhy he would leave: Despite it being located in the greatness of Palo Alto, Calif. all football coaches want to leave this locale. This is a hard job. Jim Harbaugh, Ty Willingham, Denny Green were the most successful coaches at Stanford since 1989, and they all left on their own to "better" jobs.Shaw is 34-6 in three seasons, and his resume may never look prettier.Why he wouldn't: The only reason he would not leave Stanford for Texas is because he is not offered the job. He has not won a national title.

Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh SteelersWhy he would leave: Because UT would bury him in money. He works for arguably the best organization in pro football, and one that believes in continuity at his position. He wins. He has support from management. Why he wouldn't leave: The Steelers would not match UT's salary offer, and he prefers the pro game.

Les Miles, LSUWhy he would leave: He wins at LSU, but it's never enough. The man is second-guessed when he goes to the bathroom. UT is a better job. Barely, but it is.Why he wouldn't leave: He is the most powerful man in his state who wins, and wins in recruiting.

James Franklin, VanderbiltWhy he would leave: He is leaving as soon as he can.Why he wouldn't leave: He isn't offered the job. He is 17-8 in his last two seasons at arguably one of the most difficult jobs in America.

Art Briles, BaylorWhy he would leave: He is a Texan who is in Texas and the chance to coach this program may be too great to pass for a man like Art.Why he wouldn't leave: Loyalty to Baylor, and realizing he has the keys to his town and school. He can do no wrong. The buyout in the new 10-year contract he signed with Baylor is too great.

Gary Patterson, TCUWhy he would leave: See above on Briles, only GP isn't a Texan.Why he wouldn't leave: Because he won't be offered the job. His window, if there was one, was last season.

Urban Meyer, Ohio StateWhy he would leave: Climate, it's Texas, and the chance to make more money.Why he wouldn't leave: Ohio State is a Texas of the north. It's a monster school with a giant enrollment and fan base. He owns the Big 10, too. He makes a ton of money in Columbus.

Jim Harbaugh, 49ersWhy he would leave: The chance to return Texas to national prominence. Money. Money. Money.Why he wouldn't leave: He is a pro coach would rather coach ball than worry about all of the other stuff. He has plenty of money.

Jimbo Fisher, Florida StateWhy he would leave: Money. It's Texas.Why he wouldn't leave: He has Florida State atop the Florida food chain. He owns the ACC.

Charlie Weis, KansasHey - if we have lost our sense of humor we are no better than the machines.

The new coach at Texas will be: Uhhh ... ummmm .... cough-cough ... all predictions are fluid, but David Shaw feels like a great fit. A man who has won, maybe not a national title, and who would be a wonderful representative of Texas for Texas and Texans.